City Lights and Wild Nights
by misszeldasayre
Summary: A series of one-shots focused on Korra, her allies, and their adventures in and out of Republic City. Spans Seasons 1-4 and beyond. Currently, Ghazan pines for P'Li while he's in prison.
1. The Steed

**Set between "Civil Wars: Part 1" and "Part 2."**

* * *

"On your back."

"On my back?" Bolin gulps as Eska advances. "But you're a waterbender! A little puddle shouldn't scare you!"

"Boyfriend, your pleas amuse me. Now carry me."

Resistance is futile. Bolin kneels to allow Eska an easier path onto his back. The unwanted image of Korra mounting Naga flashes before his eyes. Then Eska knees him in the side while she clambers up, and all he can focus on is his throbbing ribs. He supposes she doesn't mean to hurt him… well, not much anyway. So he suppresses a wince, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend's legs.

Desna watches impassively from the street. He has already sidestepped the puddle and waits for his sister on the other side, examining her mount with a vague distaste knitted through his brows. Bolin shivers under his look, his knees groaning while he stands.

"You may walk us through the puddle," Eska says, clutching Bolin's neck too tight for his comfort. He ignores the pinch and steps forward. The top of his boots rise above the water in the road. Was Eska really surprised that the Southern Water Tribe collected a bit of water in its streets?

Crossing the pool takes Bolin half the time that Eska took mounting him. But arguing with her would have quadrupled that time. So Bolin walks until he stands several paces away from the offending puddle. His shoulders ache. He scans the ground— dry. "Hope you enjoyed your ride!"

Before he can bend to let her slide off, Eska laughs mirthlessly. The sound crawls down Bolin's spine. "What do you mean 'enjoyed'?"

"I— uh— There's no more water in the road and—"

"It seems that you're under the impression that this ride is over. Onward, my uncultured buffalo deer."

Bolin is sweating now, something he never thought possible in the cold of the South Pole. "This is not how I pictured I'd be spending my Saturday night," he chuckles nervously, flinching as Eska tugs on his shirt collar.

"Faster, my feeble turtle duck," she commands.

Bolin is suddenly very glad that Mako is not here to see him like this. Reduced to a steed. He can practically hear Mako's groan of dismay in his head… Or is that the sound of his knees giving out?

Eska digs her heels into his stomach and Bolin grits his teeth. "Yes, my… scary ice princess."

When Eska suggests that he also carry Desna on his front, koala otter style, Bolin reminds himself for the sixtieth time that evening that he needs to break up with her soon. Then when he imagines telling Eska no, he decides that giving the twins a ride around the village doesn't sound so bad.


	2. The Dress

**Set between Season 1 and Season 2.**

* * *

Pema's dress used to be teal, vibrant like Tenzin's eyes. Now it's the murky brown of infant vomit. Using one hand to cradle Rohan is tricky enough as is. Yet she can't put him down now, not when he's not quite asleep. So she wipes off the vomit as best as she can with a baby blanket and her free hand, but just rubs the mess in deeper, spreading the stain.

"I was going to wear that tonight for your daddy," Pema sighs ruefully as she rocks Rohan lets the stain sink in. "Looks like you might be the last airbender that this family produces." Rohan's eyelids droop in reply.

In reality, Pema doesn't know if he'll bend air the way his siblings do. He's only shown a propensity for taking long naps and projectile vomiting on his mother. Impressive skills for such a small child, but nothing that suggests a tendency for airbending.

As she bends over to place Rohan in his cradle so she can change her dress, a pair of arms wraps around her waist and draws a shriek from her. The sound startles the baby, but miraculously, he only stirs briefly before continuing to nap.

Pema whirls to face Tenzin, who embraces her. "You're wearing that dress," he says gruffly, some of his usual formality leaving as he blushes. Normally, his wife would welcome such a comment, but today her arms throb and her dress reeks of mashed carrots. Regurgitated mashed carrots.

"Rohan spit up again."

Tenzin's eyes widen. "A champion puker, that one."

"He puts Meelo to shame." Pema cracks a smile, some of her tension easing. She examines the silky teal fabric with a groan. "Time to change out of this dress."

Tenzin's eyes widen again. "I concur."

A flustered Tenzin is a sweet Tenzin, and also an amusing one. Despite her exhaustion, Pema chuckles.

"You know," he begins, stroking his beard absentmindedly. "Korra doesn't have plans tonight. Maybe she could take the kids out tonight and we could have a quiet evening in? I'll cook up dinner, maybe crack open a bottle of sake… You'll have a chance to relax."

Pema's surprised, this coming from the man busy juggling his responsibilities as a councilman of Republic City and the last airbending master. Free time for just the two of them is so rare. She nods eagerly. The idea of just the two of them, Rohan fast asleep and the other children safe with Korra, relaxes Pema more than any nap could. "Yes please!" she agrees, and Tenzin bustles off to make arrangements with Korra.

 _Oh, teal dress,_ Pema grins. _You've done it again._


	3. The Date

**Set between Season 3 and Season 4**

* * *

Ikki may be chatty, but not much slips by her. She sees the admiring glances Kai gives her sister, sees the way that Jinora blushes after talking to him. At first, when Ikki notices her stomach clenching at the sight, she assumes that this is what all little sisters feel like when their big sister falls in love for the first time. The younger sister, always wanting what the older one gets.

As time goes by, though, as Kai and Jinora grow bolder together, more certain of the way they move around each other, the ache grows stronger. Ikki's sure her gut will fall out if it twists anymore! Maybe she ate too many dumplings. Or maybe she needs to let out a big fart like Meelo always does… in her face. But way deep down, in the darkest part of her chest, Ikki knows why she's feeling yucky.

She likes Kai. Plain and not so simple.

Ikki wouldn't hurt Jinora like that. Although she daydreams about Kai taking her for a ride on Lefty, she knows that her fantasies could never become realities. Not without coming true at the expense of her sister. Ikki loves her too much. She'd never do that.

And Kai would never go for that. He likes Jinora— her slow, deliberate ways and her patient demeanor. Ikki is all things fast and sunny, a spring breeze zipping through the trees. It doesn't matter that she likes Kai, or that she'd never actually tell him how she feels. Kai doesn't fall for girls like her. Because Jinora's nothing like her.

When her mother asks Ikki if she's feeling out of sorts, Ikki smiles and shakes her head. "I'm growing up!" she declares, trying to regulate each syllable slipping off her tongue. "Dad always says I need to slow down a little. I'm just giving it a try."

Her mother chuckles, patting her on the back. "Just don't get too serious. There's too much of that around here." She winks in her husband's direction, and Ikki tries hard not to laugh too loudly when her father turns around, oblivious. Laughing loudly is something Jinora doesn't do often.

When Kai invites Jinora on a date— a real, proper date!— the temple flies into a frenzy.

"Jinora and Kai sitting in a banyan tree," Meelo sings. "K-I-S— What comes next, Jinora?"

Tenzin's early memories of Kai sharpen. "My daughter? With that—!"

Pema's caught between soothing Tenzin's protectiveness and helping Jinora tame her fresh-grown spikes of hair.

Jinora's suddenly giggly in a way that Ikki's never seen. "Will you help me pick out my robes?" she asks her sister. It's a kick in Ikki's side, but how can she say no?

When the family sends Jinora off with Kai that afternoon, the whole temple seems to breathes a sigh of relief. Pema catches Tenzin saddling up Oogi with the intent of following after his daughter. She tasks him with watching Rohan, a full-time duty if there ever was one.

Ikki feels hollow. When her mother brings her a steaming cup of tea, she accepts without her customary excitement. "Thanks." The words sound dull, even in her ears.

"You know," Pema says thoughtfully, "your father didn't notice me at first, either."

"Mom?"

"He was all eyes for that Lin Bei Fong."

"Mom!"

"At first, I wanted to be just like Lin— tough, collected. But that's not me. I just kept acting like myself, and eventually Dad took note."

Ikki is speechless. Is her mother a mindreader?

"If he's the right one for you, he'll come around. But you've got plenty of time for that," her mother smiles. "Come on! Meelo's challenged me to an air scooter race."

Ikki laughs, her gut unknotting. "But you can't airbend!"

"He knows that! He probably thinks it'll be an easy victory. But I need you to be my champion and race for me. Can you do that?"

Ikki sees through her mother's attempts to cheer her up. Still, her mom's pretty smart. Maybe she's onto something. "Last one to the courtyard is a rotten moon peach!"


	4. The Dreams

**Set between Seasons 3 and 4.**

* * *

Baby steps.

At night, she dreams of running, Naga at her side, her boots slapping the tundra. She dreams of Zaheer leering over her, of standing on her own two feet and pushing back when he pushes her. But she wakes, always in a cold sweat, always too weak to stand.

Katara tries to understand, Korra can see it in her face. But she doesn't know what it's like to be trapped in her body, in her mind.

When she can't force her feet to take another step, when she collapses at Katara's feet, Korra's mind drifts to those blank olive eyes following her every move. She knows he's locked away, but he's locked in her head and Korra's paralyzed with fear.

A fine Avatar she is. Sometimes she tries to write to Bolin, to Mako and Asami and Tenzin. But the words never come— it's like the air's being squeezed out of her head and all she can think about is catching a breath— and her friends' letters slow from a flood to a trickle.

 _They don't need you,_ her mind chants (shut up, _you know it's true_ ). They don't miss you much anymore (they're my friends, _they've forgotten all about you_ ).

Zaheer has poisoned her mind as well as her body, leaving Korra questioning the structure of things, her place in the world, like she never has before.

Baby steps. That's what Katara says. Korra makes it to the other side of the hut, then back again. Progress. She picks up a pen, writing back to Asami after months of silence. Nothing personal. Just news about her tribe and the stories about Aang that Katara's told her. Questions, too— how's Tenzin's family (do they miss me?), what's your company up to (how are you doing?), how is Mako doing (are you dating him?).

At night, Korra still dreams of running through the tundra, but when she wakes in the morning, slowly, surely, she can stand.


	5. The Letters

**Set between Seasons 3 and 4.**

* * *

"A letter, Miss Sato," and an envelope is placed on Asami's desk before she has the chance to look up from the prototype she's been tinkering with.

"Thank y—" The words fade on her lips when she realizes she's all alone, her secretary long gone. Skittish, the new hire doesn't stick around to chat much. Asami supposes she should be glad— productivity is good— but lately, she's been so desperate for someone to talk to. Mako's thrown himself into his detective work, and Bolin's busy with his motion pictures. Korra's most likely still in the South Pole, but Asami hasn't heard from her for months, so she can't be certain.

The letter on her desk is thin; she tears it open to find a single sheet scrawled impatiently with purple ink: Korra. Nothing much, just a few lines of pleasantries and an amusing story about Aang trying to change a diaper for the first time, courtesy of Katara. Asami halts her tinkering that day and spends the rest of the afternoon drafting a reply to Korra: "Tenzin and his family miss you terribly. So do I. There's no one to help me drag Mako and Bolin away from work."

Letters take weeks to arrive from the South Pole, and more weeks to send a reply. That's why Asami's surprised to receive a letter written in purple ink less than a full moon cycle later. Korra must've written back almost immediately upon receiving Asami's letter…

This time, Korra's violet words grow honest. "I'm still weak. My legs and mind hurt. I miss you." Asami's heart flutters— you. Not you, Mako, and Bolin.

During her meeting with a representative from Cabbage Corp, Asami can't help herself from daydreaming about ways to speed up the postal service between nations. It's 172 AG, for spirits' sake. People should receive their mail faster than steamship delivery currently offers. When a whole department of Future Industries employees is reassigned to the task of improving the mail system, no one questions Asami. Although, her shy secretary does give her an odd glance when Asami receives another envelope addressed to her in purple ink.


	6. The Fight

**Set a few years after the end of Season 4.**

* * *

"Shiro Shinobi here, covering the annual Charity Bowl! Tonight, fan favorites the Fire Ferrets face off against the Ember Island Eel Hounds! Playing for the Ferrets, we have brothers Mako and Bolin returning with Avatar Korra to round out their team."

The ache Tahno feels watching pro bending matches has dulled over the years. Now he's nearly able to enjoy them. His court side seat provides an excellent view as the Fire Ferrets walk into the arena. He admires the way the Avatar strides confidently into the ring, the way she acknowledges the crowd's cheers with a nod instead of basking in them like her earthbender teammate. He's got a goofy grin on his face, Tahno notes with disgust.

A voice shrieks in Tahno's ears: "I love you, Korra!" He turns to give the shrill spectator a piece of his mind, and pauses when he's face to face with the former Earth King himself. Who barely notices that Tahno's eyeing him with distaste.

"You know," he begins with a smarmy grin. "She loved me once."

"Who, Korra?" Tahno scoffs. "As if."

"It was my singing that hooked her," Wu brags. "And my charm, of course."

"Really." Flat disbelief is etched across the former bender's face.

"She wanted me, but I had to let her down gently. The pressures of keeping peace among the nations left her with no time for me. I need more attention than that, you know."

"I'm sure you do," mutters Tahno. He swivels forward and focuses on the match at hand. On Korra's elegant waterbending forms, that is. The way she manipulates the stream running between her palms makes his blood run hot. No bender should look that—

Shinobi's commentary blares over the loudspeaker, interrupting the former Wolfbat's train of thought. "The Eel Hounds are backed up to Zone Two, their firebender in the water, and the Fire Ferrets are advancing quickly."

"Go, Korra!" The ear-splitting squeal assaulting Tahno's senses makes his blood boil. He turns again to frown at his noisy neighbor.

Wu merely sighs when he catches Tahno's glare. "Please. As if you're too neat to cheer for the match."

"Look here, sir!" Tahno huffs. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah, yeah. You played for the Wolfbats. I used to listen to your matches while my servants reenacted them using a selection of high-quality action figures. Even came to a few of them back in the day."

Something about Wu's tone rubs Tahno the wrong way. "Well, then you'll know that Korra and I spent plenty of time training together. Lots of time."

Wu folds his arms, a scowl spreading across his face. "So you smooched her real good?" Is that despair in his voice?

"Not… exactly," Tahno says. "But if I had made a move…"

"Before you lost your bending, that is."

It's been years since he lost it, and he's heard all the jabs before. Still, Wu's jab knees Tahno in the gut. "She'd still fall for me if I walked up to her right after this match!"

"For a second-tier trombone player stuck playing for weddings? Can't get a record on the radio, huh?"

The ex-monarch isn't holding back, and Tahno's fed up. He shouldn't take the bait; he should refocus his attention on the fight in front of him so that he can soak in Korra's fluid bending, her inevitable victory. This seat cost him a full concert's salary, and he shouldn't waste it. But that infuriatingly smug smile at his elbow… Tahno was never one for self-control outside of the arena.

"Oh, please. An amateur singer like yourself can only dream of booking a wedding gig."

It's no secret that His Former Majesty thought he had a gift for singing. Unfortunately for him, Tahno had heard otherwise, coming from Mako himself. Backstage this evening, the former bodyguard had relayed some harrowing stories about his time in the service of the king when he heard that Wu was coming. Tahno had been sitting with his former Wolfbat teammates, reliving his fighting days as he wished them good luck. The indignant harrumph coming from Wu only confirms the stories from his former bodyguard.

"As a serious musician, I beg to differ—"

"Serious musician, my foot!" Tahno snorts. "You can't sing and you couldn't get Korra to fall for you if you tried."

"I did try." Suddenly plaintive, Wu looks down as his shoulders slump.

"Oh." Tahno's throat dries up. "Well… if it makes you feel any better, Korra's probably forgotten I exist. We haven't spoken since Varrick's wedding. She wouldn't go for a guy like me."

"Darn right she wouldn't!" Tahno and Wu glance at the row behind them where a hunched-over, white-haired woman sits cackling at them. When she looks up to catch her breath, Tahno notices that her eyes are clouded over. "Look at you washed up kids!" she giggles. "Arguing over Korra as if she'd ever fall for you. Settle down! I'm here to watch some bending."


	7. The Zoo

**Set a year after Season 4.**

* * *

The 75th anniversary of the renovation of the Ba Sing Se Zoo is a swanky affair. Only the biggest donors are invited, so it's no wonder that Asami scores an invitation.

"Since when do you donate to the zoo?" Korra teases as she slips on a blue shift.

"Since Future Industries fell into my hands." Asami sounds a bit smug, eyeing her girlfriend. "Now, do you want to be my date tonight or not?"

Panic flitters across Korra's face. "There's no way I'm missing the anniversary exhibit! Besides, you'll get stuck with Mako if you don't take me."

"Never again," Asami winks, leaning in for a kiss.

* * *

After Asami hands off the keys to her Satomobile to the gangly valet, she links arms with Korra and sweeps her into the zoo. Tiny lightbulbs are strung across the earthen walls, illuminating the animals' pens in the twilight. "Romantic," Asami hints, wrapping her arm tighter around Korra.

"Exciting!" she responds, tugging Asami towards the central enclosure.

Crowds have already formed around the pen, businesspeople and actresses and politicians. Asami's at ease— these are her people, this is her circle. The sight of so many inquisitive faces unsettles Korra, but she's growing used to the stares she and Asami receive together in public. Whether they stem from their reputations as the Avatar and CEO of Future Industries, or from their relationship, Korra can't tell. But tonight, she'll endure the press of the masses in order to see the panda bear.

While promoting this event, Ba Sing Se Zoo revealed that they managed to breed a panda bear. Not a panda rabbit or a moose bear, but a panda bear. "Similar to Bosco, our former king's favored pet, but in black and white!" the headlines promised.

When Korra pushes through the crowd and peeks into the cage, she finds herself face to face with a furry, white… bear. Its black eyes peer at Korra helplessly. Something familiar floats around this animal… Has she seen it in the spirit world? In another life?

When Asami pulls Korra away from the exhibit, she notices the distressed look in Korra's eyes. "I don't like seeing it captive," Korra whispers. "Just something in its eyes…"

Asami sighs. "Are we going to…?"

"Can we? As long as no one gets in its path, everyone should be safe… It seems gentle enough. We could guide it through the Outer Rim and outside the Outer Wall."

Asami sighs again. "Give me a few minutes to distract the guests, and you'll have a clear shot."

"I love you, you know that?"

"Of course!"

When Miss Asami Sato faints by the tigerdillo cage a few moments later, most of the guests rush to her aid. She is the CEO of Future Industries after all. No one notices a slight figure bending the earth cage back into the earth and guiding the panda away from the zoo to freedom.


	8. The Surrender

**A follow up to Chapter 6, "The Fight." Set a few years after Season 4.**

* * *

After the pro bending match ends with a knockout by the Fire Ferrets, the owner and sponsor of the team, Miss Asami Sato, sidles up to the former Earth Prince, who waits outside the locker room to congratulate his friends.

"So," Asami says. "I heard you and Tahno were arguing over Korra during the match."

Wu has the decency to blush. "Whoa, buddy. We were just appreciating an excellent performance by a bending master."

"Uh huh…" A note of disbelief hangs in the air.

"Wasn't that an incredible finish?" Wu grins, attempting to shift Asami's attention from him.

"It was some match," she smiles, but the way she bares her teeth just a hint too wide reminds Wu that she hasn't forgotten the reason she approached him. "So what are your plans for the rest of the evening? Heading out to dinner? Trying to catch a late night showing of Bolin's newest mover?"

The woman before him sounds almost too casual, but Wu's in no position to question the shift in subject. "You know, I had been hoping that Mako might want to hit the town. It's been so long since we've hung out. Seems like he's always busy with detective work. Never has time to play with me like the good old days."

"That Mako's a busy one." That smile again, all teeth. Wu lets the sentence settle.

Then, as the press of fans grows at Wu and Asami's back, the door to the Fire Ferrets' locker room swings open, and out walks Korra, a bag slung over her shoulder and a polite smile plastered on her face. It grows wide when her eyes fall on Asami. Wu catches the shift, and he's reminded of how ridiculous his squabble with Tahno was. Korra's clearly happy with her girlfriend.

Before the the Avatar reaches Asami and Wu, a woman with a long braid shoves herself in front of Wu, screaming, "I love you, Avatar Korra!"

Korra's face shifts, evidently uncomfortable as the stranger reaches for her. Wu observes as Asami neatly sidesteps the woman and links arms with Korra. Planting a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek, Asami says, "Good job, sweetie," loud enough for everyone to hear. The girl with the braid falls back, disappointment spreading across her face.

"She's really taken," the fan sighs to no one in particular. "What a huge letdown this is for me!"

"I know what that's like," Wu mutters in response.

Asami sweeps Korra towards the door, away from the crowd. "Come on, Wu!" the inventor shouts over her shoulder. "We're meeting Mako and Bolin outside."

The crowds follow the prince and his friends outside, chattering at Korra, who looks rather overwhelmed by the whole affair. Wu thinks of singing— for some reason, whenever he breaks into song, people move away in droves. But Asami knows how to drive away the admirers.

"I'm so proud of my girlfriend!" Asami giggles, all light and romance. As the inventor leans in for a kiss, Korra visibly relaxes and the crowds slowly dissipate. As he watches the two of them, Wu remembers just whose job it is to fight for Korra. The Avatar's in good hands.


	9. The Opportunity

The whole department is watching as Lin storms away from her mother, and Lin knows it. Fleetingly, she wishes that their argument hadn't been so public, but if she was in a position to make wishes, she might as well wish she had been born to a woman other than Toph Beifong.

Outside of the Republic City police headquarters, Lin meets a wall of rain. It soaks through the gaps in her metal armor and pulls her mind from the conflict with her mother. For a moment, all she thinks of is the splash of her boots against the street, the slow deflation of her hair as it grows damp, the goosebumps that spring up on her hands upon contact with the rain.

It's only when she realizes that not just rainwater is running down her face that she recognizes how upset she still is. Her hands are clenched in fists, her jaw tight. There's no way Lin's heading back to work this afternoon. Not with the roiling anger mixed with guilt mixed with a deep, unfamiliar sadness that settles in her gut. So she walks, forward and far away from her mother and their gawking coworkers.

Lin looks up— she's in an unfamiliar block of the city. She must have walked farther than she thought. As she scans the buildings around her, Lin's gaze lands on a garish red sign advertising "the best ramen in Republic City." Just then, her stomach growls.

Maybe this isn't such a bad afternoon after all. She enters the restaurant. The place is packed, every table occupied. But the smell of the noodles and the gurgle in her stomach drives Lin to stay. She wouldn't know where else to look for an alternative lunch spot.

A tall, bald man sits alone, an empty bench at his booth. Lin marches up to him. "Can I sit here?"

The young man looks up, flushing when he makes eye contact. "Um… yes. Of course."

"Thanks." She slides into the booth, and fumbles for words. "Name's Lin."

"Hello, Lin. My name is Tenzin."


	10. The Prisoner

Thirteen years in a wooden cell with only his thoughts and the waves below to keep him company. Ghazan longs for earth under his feet. He's grown accustomed to the swaying platform in the sea, but it never feels natural.

He often repeats the names of his comrades so that he remembers why he's here, what he's fighting for. Zaheer, Ming-Hua, P'Li. All of them languishing in prisons across the Four Nations. Their names shore up Ghazan's resolve for revenge.

When he imagines his reunion with his friends, he always pictures Ming-Hua's watery tentacles, Zaheer's sneer. The rest of their characteristics are slowly washed away by the tides. But P'Li remains crystallized in his mind: her jet black bun, her fierce red lips, the ruby eye etched on her forehead. He longs for heat during the driving rains, so he turns to thoughts of P'Li to keep warm.


End file.
